Improved ALI by delayed oseltamivir plus sirolimus treatment was correlated with suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated secretion of IL-1β and IL-18.

Real-time PCR analysis of the NLRP3 inflammasome components, NLRP3 (A), ASC (B), and caspase-1 (C) in the lungs of infected mice in different treatment groups at 5 dpi. (D) Western blot analysis of NLRP3 inflammasome components in the lungs of infected mice in different treatment groups at 5 dpi. (E) Expression of NLRP3 and ASC relative to β-actin, and caspase 1 p20 relative to pro-caspase1. Concentrations of IL-1β (F) and IL-18 (G) in the BALF of infected mice in different treatment groups at 5 dpi. Real-time PCR analysis of IL-1β (H) and IL-18 (I) levels in the lungs of infected mice in different treatment groups at 5 dpi. (J) Western blot analysis of IL-1β and pro-IL-1β expression in the lungs of infected mice in different treatment groups at 5 dpi. Expression of IL-1β (K) and pro-IL-1β (L) relative to β-actin. Data are representative of two independent experiments and presented as mean ± SEM (n = 5 for each group). *, **, and *** represent p < 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively.